FSSAI drafts limit of metals in food products including poultry and canned food

The food safety watchdog of India FSSAI has prepared a draft specifying the limit of heavy metals in products such as canned food, margarine, wine, poultry and other processed food.

According to a spokes person at FSSAI, "The new regulations are in harmonisation with Codex standards and new food items have been included.”

The draft specifies permissible levels of metal contaminants such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, tin, mercury and chromium in food products. Some of the new food items added to the list are cereals such as quinoa, puree and other processed food.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) is the international food standards setting body established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. It develops standards, guidelines and codes of practice that contribute to the safety, quality and fairness of food trade across 180 countries. At present, the proposal is available for public comment. The draft is an amendment of the Food Safety Standards Regulations 2011 and will be called the Food Safety Standards Regulations (Contaminants, Toxins, Residues) (Amendment) Regulations, 2015.

According to the official, the draft will enable on the date of final notification in the official gazette.